Apple’s New MacBook Orders Cause Supply Chain Labor Shortages

Though Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) hasn’t officially announced the release date of its highly anticipated new 15-inch MacBook Pro, the advance booking is in full swing. And heavy booking orders from Apple have left the supply chain makers unable to meet demands. According to the sources, many upbeat supply chain makers are even outsourcing the orders to meet the shipment deadlines.

The contract manufacturers in China are already suffering from labor shortages for a long time. Since May and June are usually dull for IT industry, the labor shortages are not considered significant. But the component manufacturers as well as shipping companies are worried over labor shortages this year as the launch date for New MacBook Pro approaches.

The new MacBook is being manufactured at Foxconn and Quant Computers. Shipping of the product started in April and has been rising every week. The sources further expect the shipment to rise in June. However, hype, record-breaking advance bookings and shipment problems are nothing new. They come with every new Apple product.

The buzz is that the new MacBook will be thinner than the previous versions with Intel Core i5 and i7 Ivy Bridge versions. Apple is going to be the first computer manufacturer to launch a laptop equipped with Ivy Bridge. Looking at the features of the newly released third generation iPad, the upcoming MacBook Pro may also be equipped with anti-glare retina display.

The shipments are likely to increase from 12.8 million units in 2011 to 16.20-19.20 million units this year. The product is anticipated to be launched at Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

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Vikas is a reporter and value investor. He contributes breaking news and Op-Ed columns about technology and politics on ValueWalk.
Vikas spends most of his time reading investment books, writing about finance and looking for stocks that have significant growth potential.